'We dogged it out and got over the line in the end'- Portlaoise Minor winning captain Ben O'Connor
He was also named man of the match
Portlaoise Minor captain and man of the match Ben O’Connor was nearly lost for words after leading his team to their first Minor title in 12 years. Reflecting on the hard-fought victory over Portarlington, O'Connor said, “There's not much more I could actually ask for honestly. We knew it would be such a tough game going in and to come out with a win is just fantastic.”
Portlaoise turned the tide in the second half, scoring three goals in nine minutes, securing an eight-point victory. O’Connor credited his team’s resilience, adding, “This year we've been good at responding in second halves after shaky first halves, and it happened again today. Thankfully, we punished them for their mistakes.”
In July, Portarlington had beaten Portlaoise by seven points in the group stages. O'Connor admitted they weren’t prepared back then, but knew they’d have to elevate their game for the final. “We weren't prepared at all, and we knew ourselves we had to regroup. After then losing to St Joseph’s as well, we knew it would be a tough year, but we dogged it out and got over the line in the end, so I can't believe it, honestly.”
The 12-year drought without a minor title was a major point of pride for O’Connor, who expressed how much it meant to break that spell. “It's savage to be part of it. For a club like us to be going 12 years is unthinkable. But anyway, it's changed now, thank God. It's savage to be here,” he said.
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The final was part of a double-header at Laois Hire O’Moore Park, with both Portlaoise and Portarlington competing for the Minor and Senior titles. O’Connor noted the significance of the day for his club and has high hopes for the future. “We need to give them (the Seniors) a run for their money. I know they're playing very well, but we have loads of lads who can do well in that team. It’s great for the club to have both teams here today, and even for Portarlington as well to have both teams.”
O’Connor also took a moment to praise his teammate Darren Brennan, who scored 2-3 in the final, describing him as “a class act.” He added, “I've been with him since we were both young. I can't even describe him. On the pitch, it's hard to see the players on the ball, but I know Darren just played very well today in fairness to him.”